Pastor Ben Langley is irresistible. His wife died giving birth to their daughter six years ago. His tragic past doesn’t keep me from wanting to unravel him, strip away his buttoned-up goodness, and discover what kind of man lies beneath. If that makes me evil, so be it. I’m far beyond redemption anyway. Ashleigh Kendrick is freedom personified, an unpredictable wind I want to grasp hold of. Every … grasp hold of.
Every Sunday she watches me preach from the front row, wearing her halter tops and tiny skirts, a dangerous temptation. Her favorite words are the four-letter variety, and her smile lights up the darkness inside me. I vowed to love one woman forever. I never realized that vow would be impossible to keep when confronted with a chance to love again.
Face the Music is an opposites attract romance with emotional ties to the past that run so thick they feel impossible to overcome.
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“I haven’t touched a woman in over six years. Haven’t even had the slightest desire to. Until you.”
I was really looking forward to Pastor Ben Langley’s story after meeting him in Playing by Heart, and JB Salsbury didn’t disappoint. Face the Music was a great opposites attract contemporary romance. It was clear that Ben after losing his wife six years ago, still wasn’t completely over her. However, there is one woman that makes him question his loyalty. Ashleigh is funny, free and wild. At least that is how everyone perceives her to be. She has been lusting over Ben for three years, but he hasn’t really been getting the hint. She has been around Ben for a long time because his brother Jesse is together with her best friend Bethany, who also was Ben’s daughter Elliot’s babysitter. When Ben is left without a babysitter he asks Ash if she could take care of Elliot until he finds someone else. The scenes with Elliot were my favorite, she is such a curious and smart little girl and her interaction with Ash were super cute.
“I am in way too deep. No turning back. Heartbreak is inevitable.”
I was expecting a light and fun contemporary romance, but JB did a great job in having it be emotional at times. She is great in elevating and hooking the reader to the story. I loved the characters and seeing the relationships grow. The attraction and chemistry was great and very sexy. I also liked that the characters stayed true to themselves. Which I find very important. Of course they went through changes, but their decisions made sense. Seeing both Ash and Ben struggle internally with their demons was heartbreaking but it was time to deal with them if they wanted to pursue a relationship with a future. I really loved this book and enjoyed seeing what the rest of the gang were up to. I am so happy with how Ben and Ash’ story ended it was just perfect seeing them both be so happy. I hope Ethan (Jesse Lee’s band member) is getting his own book, because the last part with his POV has me very intrigued.
“You give me nothing. Your walls are firmly in place while I’m bleeding out at your feet.”
Y’all. I thought I was ready for Pastor Ben Langley. But I had no idea.
I was definitely not ready for the way he just utterly consumed my heart. I was so not ready for the impact on my emotions. And, I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t ready for how intensely sexy he was going to be.
Holy Hannah, J.B. Salsbury just knocked me off my feet in the very best way.
I devoured this book. I couldn’t get enough of it. It plucked at my heartstrings and it teased out almost every single emotion you could think of. My heart ached and fluttered and raced almost right out of my chest. I laughed, I cried, and I loved these two characters so fiercely.
I mean, I don’t even know if love is a strong enough word for all the ways I felt about Pastor Ben. But I also really loved Ashleigh. And that took a little bit longer to fire up for me. I wasn’t really sure what to make of her. She could not have been more opposite of Ben and I found myself cringing at her over-the-top, brash personality. But she was also refreshing and honest in a way that I grew to appreciate and then eventually, well, love. And while I adored the sweet slow (smoking hot) burn between her and Ben, it was her relationship with Ben’s daughter that really won me over. It was so easy to see the purity in her heart, how deeply she cared for both of them, and that added an extra layer of depth for me. Watching these two slowly but steadily find their way toward their happily ever after was an intense, beautiful, emotionally charged, wild ride. And I loved every minute.
I also adored the relationship arc between Ben and Jesse. It was so great to catch up with the band – who often added just the perfect amount of humor and irreverence to this story. I loved getting to see Ben and Jesse’s renewed brotherhood and how their roles in each other’s lives sorted out. So much goodness here!
This was exactly the book I was hoping it was going to be. Both Ben and Ashleigh had heartbreaking back-stories, and they were told so beautifully and with such care that my heart wrapped itself around them almost from the first page – and it wasn’t ready to let them go when I turned the last. Face the Music was an absolutely perfect emotional experience and an immediate top favorite. Do not miss out on all this greatness! I cannot recommend it highly enough!
I took a day to formulate the correct sentence to write this review and I still can’t think of an adequate way to start this off. My heart is still soaring from reading Face The Music. I have been waiting on this book from the first time we met Ben and Ashleigh in Playing by Heart and seeing how thirsty Ash was for the good Pastor made me constantly laugh.
Ashleigh best friend to Bethany, Jesse’s wife, never misses a Sunday service and that’s thanks to the Pastor Ben Langley. She has been lusting after the good Pastor for a long time but she knows nothing could come of it because Ben is still in love with his dead wife. He has no room left in his heart for anyone besides his little girl, Elliot. And anything between them would be wrong in the eyes of the church and all the b*tchy ladies who visit that said church. But Ben is a person who does not judge and sees the good in Ashleigh. He hasn’t so much as looked at another woman after his wife’s death but Ashleigh is temptation wrapped up in a sexy little package. She is a woman who cannot be ignored and forgotten and that proves to be a problem for Ben. He has to decide if it’s time to move on from his wife’s death and build a new life. For him and his daughter.
Ashleigh clothing choices and vocab are bold, loud, crass and borderline slutty. She commands the attention of every person in every room she enters. Although she comes off as confident and brash at times, she is loyal and protective to the people she loves. She is also vulnerable at times and believes she isn’t good enough for Ben. She believes she isn’t the forever type of girl for someone a good as him. She pulled on my heart strings. She was a character that could make me laugh then bawl my eyes out the next moment. Her comebacks and commentary is what I lived for in this book.
“Is it just me or are Ben’s pants tighter than usual?”
“Of course you would notice something like that,”
“Well? Are they?”
“Jesiah said Ben’s been working out a lot.”… “Yeah, looks like he’s put on some muscle.”
“In his dick?”
Ashleigh is one of my favorite characters of all time. I loved her spirit, sass and vulnerability. It’s so refreshing to read a book where the roles are reversed and the guy is the celibate and innocent one. I hate in books where the girl is always the one who lacks in sexual experience but the guy bangs every pretty face he comes in contact with. Ashleigh was a breath of fresh air and I loved Ben for not wanting to change a thing about her. She was absolutely perfect with Elliott although her vocab was not appropriate for a six year old.
Ben was oh so sexy and swoony but there was a part in the book that I was furious at him. I cried. Gosh how I cried! He redeemed himself though. I also loved how he always stood up for Ashleigh even though she was more than capable of fighting her own battles which he found very sexy and funny.
This series has fast become one of my favorites. I end up falling in love with all the characters. I love every single book and I cannot wait for what’s to come.
***5 Stars***
After meeting Ben in Playing by Heart, I had my toes crossed that he’d get his own book. After finishing Skipped a Beat I was all kinds of excited and couldn’t wait to see Ben and Ashleigh get their HEA and Face the Music did not disappoint. This baby took me on one hell of a ride in every way possible and hit the right buttons for me.
Ben and Ashleigh. These two. Here’s the thing. I adored both of them. Ben truly believes in his faith. He believes in helping those who ask for it, and those who don’t. I couldn’t help but truly admire how strongly he felt about what his word meant, but it also drove me a tinsy bit batshitcrazy. Ashleigh has moxie. She lives her life loudly and without apology. But she has her insecurities that wreak more havoc on her psyche than anyone can imagine.
Ash and Ben’s journey to their HEA was all kinds of insanely smexy opposites attract slow burn goodness that had a good dose of frustrating and swoon worthy moments tossed into the mix to keep things interesting. As well as an adorably precocious little girl who kept everyone on their toes. I gotta say, these two kept me on my toes. With every move forward there was at least one and half back as they wrestled with their own demons, but the one thing that was clear was that they had that connection, that flow, that if they only find a way to work through their inner monologues then they’d find that they were exactly what the other never knew they needed.
I had a feeling going in that this book would…raise my hackles a bit because any time religion comes into play it can bring about very strong feelings, and this book did that ~ not gonna lie. BUT what the author did was bring in different points of view on religion, faith and belief and kept things on a pretty even keel, which I absolutely appreciated. (Random side note: Totally on #TeamBen with this one). But other hot topics do come up in this book, some may be triggers, so be prepared to go in with an open mind. As for the secondary cast of characters. There were a few I wanted to gut with a spoon, but there were more that I adored. I loved catching up with Bethany, Jesse, Ryder and Jade and Elliott was all kinds of awesome! I’m still waiting to see what will happen with Chris, but I cannot wait to meet the woman that will bring Ethan to his knees!
~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~
(4.6 stars) Pastor Ben’s book is here and you will not be disappointed! Ben Langley is raising his 5 year old daughter, Elliot, the best he can after the passing of his wife. He is one of the good guys…a pastor and an amazing brother to rockstar, Jesse Lee. However, there is one person that might tempt him to the wild side. His sister-in-laws Feisty best friend and parishioner, Ashleigh Kendrick. When she decides to volunteer at his church can he stay away or will this girl have him on his knees? He is a single dad…She is a wild party girl/bartender. They couldn’t be more different if they tried but sometimes that’s exactly what you need. I am in love with Ben and Ashleigh! This is an emotional, funny, sweet slow burn romance that has all the feels. I felt for all that Ben has been through and no one deserves a HEA more than him! If you love a slow burn with a really great man this is the book for you. Told in dual POV
* A review copy was provided by the author *
OH MY WORD!!! I LOVE Pastor Ben Langley.
I was so intrigued with Ben Langley and his daughter Elliot when I met them in Playing By Heart. I was so excited to her that J.B. Salsbury was writing his story and that his love interest was Ashleigh. I loved her character in the first book, so I was thrilled to get to know her better and what made her tick.
What I wasn’t expecting was all the emotion that was in this book. I knew Ben’s story was a sad one, because we learned some of his background in he first book, but my heart was torn a part by his pain and guilt that he felt throughout this story. Plus the emotions that the author shows us that were underneath Ashleigh’s sass and snark. I just couldn’t get enough of these characters.
Face the Music is the third book in the Love, Hate & Rock n Roll Series. It is a standalone novel, but I truly think that readers should read Playing Be Heart first. That way you get the full experience of Ben Langley and Ashleigh. I think you will appreciate their story so much more if reading book 1 first. This book is told in Dual POV. I almost want to say that this is a continuation of Ben’s story. You’ll understand that more once you read these books. I thought the flow of this story worked well. This is a slow burn romance, but I think that was for the best for Ben and Ashleigh. I did think the pace at times was on the slower side, at least for my liking. I thought this book could’ve been a tad bit shorter and some things could’ve been left out to move this a long a little faster. Just my opinion. It didn’t take away my overall enjoyment of this book. It’s just why I didn’t give this a 5 star rating.
In this book we follow Ben and Ashleigh’s story. As I said we met them both in book 1. Their friendship took form in that book and continued to go in this book. Pastor Ben is a single father who tragically lost his wife during child birth. He has had trouble moving on and letting go of his late wife. Ashleigh is Bethany’s (heroine from book 1) BFF. She has a growing attraction to the Pastor, but doesn’t think she is good enough for him. She has always lived her life not settling down and only having casual hook-ups. But something calls to her about the Pastor and she is captivated by him. Can a Pastor who lives his life by certain rules fall for someone who is the exact opposite?? Can Ashleigh let down the walls she built and let the Pastor in?? Read this book to find out.
I loved seeing Bethany, Jesse, Ethan, Ryder and Elliot again in this story. This band is more than a band….they are a family. I love coming back into their world and seeing where this world will take them,
If you are a fan of J.B. Salsbury’s books you don’t want to miss this latest gem!!! Add this to your TBR list NOW!!!
How can a book cover some pretty tough and emotional stuff and still make you laugh out loud? I guess you just need JB to write it. I loved every minute of this book. Even when my heart was breaking. I want to be friends with Ash. And Ben? Oh my my. That much sweet and sexy should be a sin 😉
This was the first book I read in 2020. It’s also the first book on my favorite list for 2020. What a way to usher in the New Year! Only JB Salsbury could write a truly amazing story with such passion and values.
Pastor Ben Langley has been a widower for 6 years. When his wife died giving birth to their daughter, he took on the role of single parent and local pastor. He misses his wife and the life he had. He thought he would never have again what he already had. But that is about to change. After a night performing with his brother Jesse, he caught the eye of Ashleigh, best friend to Bethany (wife of rocker Jesse) and old feelings are beginning to come to life.
Ashleigh doesn’t follow the norm. She shows up at church in halter tops and fishnet stockings. She doesn’t hold back when she talks and is the exact opposite of the clean cut pastor. She has crushed on him for years. She wants to discover what the good pastor hides underneath his church clothes. Unfortunately, Pastor Ben holds his vows in his heart and she’s not sure he is ready to take a chance on a foul-mouthed do as she wants girl like herself. To Ashleigh, he is worth the wait.
This story will give you all the feels. I laughed (Jesse is always in the background with a comment), felt his pain, but most of all, cheered as the story goes on. Of course, in true JB Salsbury form, the chemistry between the two is off the charts but still has the pastor holding on to his values. If the author continues like this, 2020 is going to be a list of her books in my top 10 list. Thank you once again JB Salsbury. My New Year’s was the perfect day.
This book so messed with my head.
As I started off reading Face The Music, I nearly rejected it. Thank goodness I kept reading. There was only one other book this year that I nearly stopped reading because there was something I didn’t immediately like, then decided to to keep going. Neither time have I been disappointed.
I have, over the last six weeks or so read through nearly all of JB Salbury’s back catalogue and she quickly became a favorite author of mine. So I knew (or so I thought) what to expect with this book.
Face The Music pulled me in, and gave me the feels and left me satisfied- there is no question about that. But I wasn’t expecting that it would mess with my head and left me questioning some of my beliefs. It’s not a bad thing- but damn I’m still trying to figure things out.
Wow!!!!! An amazing 6 star story that sucked me in and didn’t let go until the last page was read. Too bad I had to work otherwise I would have read it in one sitting.
Here’s the thing. Ben is actually Pastor Langley, a widowed father. Ashleigh is a bartender who likes short skirts and tight pants. That’s all I’m saying.
This is the 3rd book in the series but rest assured it can be read as a standalone. They say opposites attract, well in this case they couldn’t be more different. But they still had heart. Even if Ashleigh thought little of herself, she was an amazing person who just had a wall around her heart. Ben and his daughter will melt that. This storyline was beautifully written and mastered to perfection. It was a solid page turner that held me captive. It was highly addicting and entertaining.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story. For better enjoyment read them in order.